title: Association of metabolic syndrome with schizophrenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with mental illnesses. It is a major predictor of mortality and morbidity in patients of such mental illnesses. This study was undertaken to study the association of MetS and schizophrenia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the association of MetS in patients of schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult schizophrenic patients diagnosed as per Diagnostic and Statistical Manual -IV Third R evisioncriteria visiting the psychiatric Out Patient Day during the study period were evaluated for prevalence of MetS as per the criteria of the international diabetes federation. Fifty patients of schizophrenia with age-and sex-matched 50 controls were enrolled for the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MetS was found to be 28% in patient group and 12% in control group (P < 0.05). Fourteen patients were found to have MetS out of 38 patients who were on antipsychotics for >6 months. All the 14 patients having MetS were taking second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study showed a higher prevalence of MetS in schizophrenia than in general population. MetS was present only in patients taking SGAs and prevalence of MetS had a positive correlation with duration of treatment. The study points toward urgent need for consultation - liaisoning between Diabetologist and Psychiatrists.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, M.L.N. Medical College, Allahabad, India.
authors.forename: Sarita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bajaj
authors.forename: Anurag
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varma
authors.forename: Anubha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.forename: Anand Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Verma
keywords: Metabolic syndrome; schizophrenia; second-generation antipsychotics